Amazon’s Amazing Kindle eBook Reader

Amazon introduced the Kindle just about a year ago in November of 2007. Prior to its introduction, many companies had tried its hand at developing an eBook reader that people would actually use. For example, some of the earlier eBook readers were nothing more than dowloading text documents onto your PDA device: Palm, Blackberry and others.

However, advancements in technology, such as broadband and LCD contrast, in particular, have really accelerated the adoption of eBook readers. Adding to the allure of eBooks is the fact that there are so many titles available (200,000+). You’re sure to find thousands of hours of enjoyment.

Today, the resurgence of eBook readers is at an all-time high. Manufacturers of these devices are scrambling to keep up the success of the Amazon Kindle. Some of the top manufacturers, include: Sony’s Portable Reader, iRex Digital Reader, Jinke Electronics, Netronix, as well as the Amazon Kindle.

On a recent flight from San Francisco to Australia, we noticed at least five travelers with Amazon Kindles. If this is not a revolutionary transition, I don’t what is!

So, what makes the “Amazon Kindle” special? Earlier applications of eBook readers merely allowed one to look at text documents in the guise of “eBooks”. So, imagine downloading an “eBook” on your PDA and essentially reading a Word document, formatted into a book-like content structure. This limited the commercial use of the content to basically manuals and corporate documents.

Amazon took a giant leap forward by creating a product that physically looks like a book. But, even more importantly, the text looks much like a text printed on a physical book. The technology used is called E-Ink, which is very “easy on the eyes” visually . In addition, the Amazon Kindle has a high contrast screen which does a great job of simulating a printed page. Just like a printed book it is designed to be read under lighted conditions and can even be read under bright sunlight.

The next big leap for Amazon is how eBooks are distributed. Initally, Amazon had planned to distribute eBooks over WiFi, but that would require customers to find a WiFi hotspot. Eventually Amazon chose Sprint’s high speed EVDO network. So, customers can download eBooks anywhere that there is a cell phone connection. If the high speed EVDO network is not available, the Amazon Kindle switches back to the slower 1x speed.

One of the biggest selling points of the Amazon Kindle is the tremendous size of the library. At last count, Amazon has over 190,000 books, which includes New York Times Best Sellers. In addition to this, the top U.S. and international newspapers are available for download, as well, including: NY Times, Wall Street Journal, Frankfurter, Irish Times, etc. And finally, over 1,000 major blog sites are accessible, including Slashdot, TechCruch, ESPN and more.

All of these reasons and more are why Oprah Winfrey officially endorsed the “Amazon Kindle” in October of this year. She declared it as her favorite new gadget. She was also quoted as saying tha Amazon Kindle was ” life-changing for me” and “the wave of the future.”